Quick Chicken Piccata Pasta (Print)

Tender chicken cooked in lemon caper sauce, served over al dente pasta for a bright and tangy meal.

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

→ Sauce

07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1⁄2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
09 - 1⁄3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
10 - 1⁄4 cup capers, drained and rinsed
11 - 1⁄2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

→ Pasta

14 - 12 ounces spaghetti or linguine
15 - Salt, for pasta water

→ Garnish

16 - Lemon slices
17 - Extra chopped parsley

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti or linguine according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1⁄2 cup pasta water.
02 - Slice each chicken breast horizontally to create four thin cutlets. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in flour and shake off excess.
03 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken cutlets 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
04 - Add minced garlic to the same skillet and sauté for 30 seconds. Deglaze with white wine, scraping browned bits. Stir in lemon juice, capers, and chicken broth; simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly reduced.
05 - Reduce heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons butter until melted and the sauce is glossy. Return chicken to the skillet and spoon sauce over the cutlets.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and gently toss to coat. Stir in reserved pasta water if necessary to smooth the sauce.
07 - Plate the pasta with chicken atop. Spoon additional sauce over and garnish with chopped parsley and lemon slices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when you actually invested maybe 20 minutes of real work.
  • The sauce is bright enough to cut through a heavy day, but rich enough to feel like a proper dinner.
  • Leftover sauce reheats beautifully and somehow tastes even better the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water—that starch is what transforms a wet pan into a silky, cohesive sauce.
  • Overcrowding the skillet when searing the chicken will steam it instead of searing it, so if your skillet feels tight, work in batches.
  • Fresh lemon juice makes a difference you can taste; bottled juice will leave the sauce tasting one-dimensional and flat.
03 -
  • Pat your chicken breasts dry before seasoning and flouring—moisture is the enemy of a good sear.
  • Don't taste the sauce straight from the skillet; dip a spoon in and let it cool for a second so you get an accurate sense of the seasoning.
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